Strategy & Analytics Leader

Justin
Ernsting

Helping leadership teams and investors make better decisions through rigorous analytics, operational insight, and strategic clarity.

Vice President at AlixPartners specializing in operational transformation, corporate strategy, and investment diligence. I build analytical frameworks and decision systems that help organizations evaluate growth opportunities, improve profitability, and navigate complex strategic choices.

View selected work →
7+
Years of Consulting Experience
Multi-Industry
Defense, Aerospace, Industrials, Retail
Cross-Functional
Strategy, Diligence, Market Analysis, Palantir
F500
Analytics-Backed Strategy
NYC
Based in New York
01

About

Current Role
AlixPartners
f.k.a. Galt & Company (acquired 2021) · New York, NY
Corporate StrategyTransformationDue DiligenceFinancial ModelingMarket Sizing

I'm a Vice President at AlixPartners, a global consulting firm specializing in complex, high-stakes situations. I work with Fortune 500 leadership teams to build strategies that drive measurable growth and sustainable competitive advantage.

My work spans corporate strategy, M&A due diligence, and profitability transformation — across healthcare, industrials, consumer, retail, defense, and energy sectors.

Before AlixPartners, I was at Cadent Consulting Group in Wilton, CT, focused on CPG strategy — new product development, pricing, and go-to-market for both category leaders and challenger brands.

Outside of work, I mentor high-achieving middle schoolers from underserved NYC communities through the TEAK Fellowship, and I'm passionate about alpine skiing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and high-performance driving.

02

Selected Work

01
Defense & Government
Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Due Diligence
Evaluated an investment opportunity in a specialized aerospace component manufacturer. Assessed program exposure across commercial and defense aircraft platforms. Evaluated certification barriers, OEM approvals, and supplier concentration risks. Modeled demand tied to aircraft production cycles and fleet replacement trends. Identified operational bottlenecks and margin expansion opportunities.
Impact
Investor risk assessment
02
Retail
Retail Network Profitability & Location Optimization
Developed predictive models evaluating store-level profitability across a 600+ location retail footprint. Integrated demographic, traffic, and competitive market data. Built expected-profit benchmarks for each store based on local market conditions. Identified underperforming locations relative to demographic potential. Developed framework for store closure, relocation, and expansion decisions.
Impact
Network optimization
03
Defense & Government
Unified Cost Management Platform for a $50B Defense Contractor
Served as product manager leading a 4-person development team to integrate eight legacy ERP systems into a centralized reporting platform. Unified cost data across multiple business units and financial systems. Built reporting tools enabling leadership to monitor cost structures across programs. Improved cost transparency supporting competitive government contract bids.
Impact
Enterprise cost analysis
04
Distribution
$100M+ Aftermarket Growth Opportunity
Identified and sized new revenue opportunities within the aftermarket parts division of a Fortune 100 distribution network. Analyzed demand patterns across product categories and customer segments. Identified whitespace opportunities within existing accounts. Modeled revenue potential and operational implications.
Impact
$100M+ opportunity
05
Industrials & Energy
Adjacent Market Expansion for a Large Industrials Client
Sized upstream oilfield and industrial automation markets to evaluate strategic expansion opportunities. Conducted bottom-up market sizing and competitive benchmarking. Analyzed industry profit pools and structural growth drivers. Developed strategic recommendations for market entry.
Impact
Expansion strategy
06
Health Care
Hedge Fund Due Diligence on Large-Cap Healthcare Company
Conducted outside-in diligence evaluating potential dis-synergies from a proposed corporate breakup. Analyzed regulatory filings and industry economics. Modeled profit pools and competitive positioning. Assessed operational risks tied to the separation.
Impact
Investor perspective
07
Consumer Health Technology
CFO Financial Planning Model for ~$2B Revenue Business
Built detailed financial planning and cash flow models supporting CFO board presentations and earnings call preparation. Developed multi-scenario cash flow projections. Modeled debt repayment strategies and capital allocation options. Delivered tools enabling rapid scenario analysis.
Impact
Financial planning
03

Areas of Expertise

◈
Corporate Strategy
Growth strategy, market entry, adjacent market expansion, and competitive positioning for Fortune 500 clients.
◉
Profitability Analysis
Fully burdened P&L modeling at the product, store, and region level — translating data into prioritized initiatives.
◫
Financial Modeling
Cash flow models, financial planning, and scenario analysis supporting board-level and investor communications.
◎
M&A Due Diligence
Outside-in competitive assessments, regulatory analysis, and profit pool modeling for PE and hedge fund clients.
◐
Market Sizing
Rigorous bottom-up and top-down market sizing, growth potential assessment, and profit pool analysis.
◑
Product & Tech
PM experience leading cross-functional dev teams to build enterprise tools integrating complex legacy systems.
04

Get in Touch

Let's connect.

If you're evaluating a complex investment, building a strategic data system, or navigating a major transformation — I'd be glad to connect.

Email
justinmernsting@gmail.com
↗
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/justinernsting
↗